The First Cycle
by Miss Pearlescent
Summary: A day after Scarlet becomes Wolf's alpha female, she locks herself up in her room, suffering the wrath of Mother Nature. Wolf can help her but only if he lets Scarlet coax his animal instincts out.
1. Chapter 1

_Rated M for fluffy smut._

_This takes place right after Book 2 of The Lunar Chronicles. All characters belong to the wonderful Marissa Meyer, author of Cinder and Scarlet. I hope you all enjoy! (:_

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Wolf didn't understand what was happening. Since last night's dinner,—or _antipasto_ as Scarlet had called it**—**the door to her room hadn't opened. It was already midafternoon by Rieux time and he was desperate for her presence. Captain Thorne still saw him as a threat and Cinder was preoccupied with the netscreen, waiting for Emperor Kaito to denounce his engagement. When Wolf tried to strike up a conversation with Cinder, she had attempted to give him all her attention but he knew she would rather worry about their new predicament. She said she was just worried about Levana taking over the world, but Wolf knew there was something deeper than that. Somehow, her stress had made her an unfavourable conversationalist.

So now he was perched outside the door to Scarlet's bunk, waiting for her to wake up. He'd been scared at first, wondering if he had frightened her off last night and she somehow managed to abandon ship. But her scent was strong from inside the room and he could hear slight shuffling as she shifted in her bed. Wolf hoped she was just tired from the endless trials of the previous week. Or maybe she was still crying like she had done last night for so long. He had waited outside her door at that time, too, hoping he could provide some comfort, but decided to get to the galley when he realized he was famished. Besides, she needed her space to mourn.

But he had hoped she would feel better this morning. He missed interacting with her so much that he had even talked to Iko when he was waiting in his own room. That didn't go well though, as the room got blindingly bright and unbearably hot, even for Wolf. She was also stuttering to the point where her words were scrambled together and he would have to spend a few moments deciphering her sentences. It got to the point where he had to use his hunger as an excuse to leave the room and the conversation.

He just wished Scarlet would come out and greet him in that red hoodie of hers and her soft red curls. He wanted to see her smile again and hear her sweet voice. But he wanted her to leave her room on her own time. Bothering her like this wouldn't put him in favour—

His senses suddenly spiked up as he smelled something foreign in the air. He sniffed and the hackles on his neck rose, alerting him to take caution. No, what he smelled wasn't foreign; it was still Scarlet's scent but loads more pungent. His eyes widened as he lifted his head to get another whiff. His nose must've been toying with him as his animal instincts perked up. It was blood.

He lifted himself from his crouch and was just about to open the door unannounced when his ears picked up a muffled groan from inside the room. Something bad was happening and had probably been happening this entire morning and yet he had just stood outside like a useless pawn. He had vowed to protect Scarlet and yet she was in there, letting out blood and painful noises. His hand readied to push the door but it suddenly gave way and opened by itself.

Wolf didn't know if the sight warmed him or shocked him. Nevertheless, it squeezed his heart. Scarlet stood on the other side with her messy hair and crumpled clothes that she had found to change into. Her presence flooded his senses and he couldn't find any words to greet her. He couldn't even move.

Her eyes scanned his body but they never met his gaze. She looked worried and ashamed about something but he didn't know what. The two of them uttered a small apology at the same time before Scarlet pushed past his body. He wanted to reach out and hold her but he knew that if he did, he wouldn't be able to let go. Her scent was too alluring, even more than usual, and he stepped out of the way before she could brush his arm with her own. He was scared that even the smallest touch would make him lose his sanity.

Wolf stood in that hallway by himself, still outside her door. She obviously didn't want to talk to him at that moment but his feet wouldn't allow him to get back to his room. He wanted to know if she was hurt or if there was anything he could do to help. He couldn't just wait here and do nothing all day.

"Come, I'll help you look for some." Wolf's head turned to the voice and found Cinder and Scarlet rummaging through some boxes down the hall by the medbay. Scarlet had a hand clutched to her stomach and she looked like she was in an immense amount of pain. Maybe she just needed some medicine. His mind stirred as he knew how he could help.

"What do you guys need?" he asked as he approached them, trying to look and sound nonchalant.

Cinder stood up but Scarlet didn't even look at him. She stayed on her seat, going through the contents of a box. "Don't worry about it, Wolf. We're just looking for something for her." Cinder tilted her head towards the redhead. "She's not feeling well."

Wolf took a breath and the only thing he could process was the smell of Scarlet's blood. But he couldn't see any wounds. "I could help. I know the smell of most medicines. Give me a name and I could probably sniff it out for you."

"Uhh," Cinder hesitated but Wolf only noticed the colour that crept up Scarlet's cheeks, matching her skin to her fiery hair. "There's no need for that. We can manage."

Wolf tried again. "But—"

"It's okay, Wolf." Scarlet finally spoke up but her eyes were still glued to the box. "You can help by keeping an eye on the netscreen for Cinder. Call us if Emperor Kaito calls another conference."

He didn't object. With his head bowed, he walked away until the voices of the two girls were mere whispers. He tried to concentrate on the talk show on the screen but he couldn't stop replaying Scarlet's last words to him. He wanted to know what he had done wrong and what he could do right. When the talk show hosts began laughing with their obnoxious cackles, Wolf had to clutch his head with his hands. He let out a low growl as he dipped his head, wanting nothing more than to go for a run. But they were up in space and there was no way he could unleash any of his pent up energy.

"Wolf?"

His eyes darted to the ceiling as he heard Iko's voice. "Yes?"

"Scarlet's back in her bedroom and she asked me to ask Cinder to get her a glass of warm water but Cinder said she was busy and told me to ask you."

Wolf jumped out of his sitting position and walked to the galley. "Understood, Iko. Thank you."

The only response was the brief brightening of the fluorescent lights.

The water shook as it sat in the glass and Wolf wondered if they were experiencing some turbulence, but then he realized his own hands were shaking. He took a deep breath, willing himself to stay still. He would have to find something to do or else he'd go crazy. Maybe Thorne needed some heavy boxes to be lifted or some rearranging of the bleak furniture, anything to get Wolf moving.

Quietly stepping through the hall to Scarlet's room, Wolf thought about what he could say. He should apologize again... No, that would sound annoying. Back in the pack, nobody ever apologized. But then again, they were savage animals, incapable of human thinking. Wolf shook his head, deciding to wing the conversation. How hard could it be?

His knuckles knocked gently against the door and he heard Scarlet's voice from the other side. "Come in," she called softly, as if she didn't have enough energy to speak any louder.

He pushed the door open but kept his feet cemented to the ground. Scarlet was lying on her bed with her blankets tightly wrapped around her. "I brought water..." he muttered. Her brows were knotted together and he could see the light perspiration on her forehead.

"Oh, thank you, Wolf." Scarlet pulled her arm out of the cocoon of a blanket and patted her nightstand. "Just leave it here." Her smile was faint as she watched him gently bring the glass of water in and set it gently beside her.

Wolf opened his mouth but he could only choke out a few formal words. "I hope you feel better soon," he bowed before turning back towards the door. So much for a conversation.

"Wolf?" her small voice called out again and he could feel her slight fingers pull on the fabric of his shirt. "Could you stay with me for a bit?"

His nod was barely perceivable but he immediately sat down on the floor by her bed, crossing his legs beneath him. He waited patiently for more orders but Scarlet only squeezed her eyes shut and groaned. In a blink of an eye, Wolf was kneeling against the bed, holding her face gently and pushing her red curls out of her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked in a small voice. He feared that if he spoke any louder, he would hurt her.

She only shook her head but Wolf knew it wasn't nothing. He could smell blood but from where?

"Please, Scarlet," he pleaded in a raspy voice. "Tell me what I can do."

Once again, she only shook her head but this time, she wiggled out of the blanket and beckoned Wolf to sit beside her. "Hold me," she whispered in a voice so low that he only heard because of his senses. But as he watched Scarlet climb into his lap and pull the blanket around herself, Wolf wanted to let go of his overwhelming senses.

A sudden realization that she only wore her undergarments hit him hard. He gulped, trying to calm his erratic mind.

The one reason that Wolf could think of to justify her outfit was that she didn't like the clothes that she had found to change into last night as her own clothes were being washed. But this lack of clothes only made Wolf's brain fall further into a frenzy. The potency of blood hit his nose forcefully but as he wrapped his arms around her waist, he couldn't concentrate on anything but the smoothness of her skin.

His instincts were telling him to do something but he couldn't understand it. He suddenly had a surge of excess energy and his breathing rate quickened. It was the same energy he felt whenever he was extremely close to Scarlet, particularly when they were kissing. But now it was ten times as strong and, paired up with the scent of her blood, he didn't know if he could resist letting his instincts take over.

He gulped nervously as Scarlet breathed out a contented sigh. "Thank you," she mumbled, nuzzling her cheek against his chest.

His sense of protectiveness over her heightened and he snaked his arms tighter around her. He didn't know what she was thanking him for but he was content in staying in this intimate position. He even managed to keep his body still for her but he knew his heart was running faster than ever. She didn't seem to mind though as she once again fell asleep.

Wolf wanted to stop time and stay in this position forever. The war between Luna and Earth seemed to diminish in importance as he concentrated on Scarlet's breathing, letting it calm him. But he still wanted to bring back the old Scarlet, the one that wasn't in pain all day.

Scarlet's eyelids flickered open as Wolf reluctantly set her back down onto the bed. "Hmm?" she whimpered as her fingers pulled on his shirt, asking him to stay.

"I'll be right back," he reassured her with a kiss on her forehead. Wolf pulled away before he lost control of himself.


	2. Chapter 2

In the medbay, he ran over to Cinder and asked to see her portscreen.

"Sure, why?" she asked as she pulled it out and handed it to him.

Wolf watched as Cinder booted up the gadget. "I want to know what I can do to help Scarlet." He was used to asking for guidance. Whenever he needed assistance in training, he would go to Master Jael. But now that the thaumaturge was gone, Wolf decided Cinder should take the spot as she was the only one who had control over his mind.

"Wolf," said Cinder as she put the portscreen down. He turned to her and wondered why she wasn't willing to help. "There's not much you can do."

"What do you mean?" he didn't mean to snarl but his voice held enough anger that he seemed to have frightened the girl a little.

After searching around the room for an answer, Cinder sighed and typed something into the portscreen. "I mean, Scarlet's on her period."

"Period?" Wolf racked his brain and tried to understand the meaning of the word.

"It's something that girls go through once a month. In wolf terms, I guess it'd be called 'being in heat'?"

Wolf still didn't know what it meant. He hadn't met many girls in his lifetime, and certainly not many female wolves. Even when the rest of his pack was talking about females, he had never engaged in that sort of conversation; it felt like a waste of time. "So why is she in so much pain?"

Cinder gave a noncommittal shrug. She was either hiding information or not comfortable talking about this topic. "She's experiencing menstrual cramps. It's nothing bad, and usually we have drugs back on Earth to deal with severe pain, but we couldn't find anything on this ship." She held up the portscreen and Wolf read through the names of medicine that he had never heard of before.

"If this is a thing that all girls go through, then what did the women do long ago to cure them of cramps? They didn't have this kind of technology."

Cinder went back to searching, obviously understanding what Wolf meant. "Hmm...it says here that they pressed hot water bottles against their stomachs but nobody has those anymore. They also exercised but I don't think Scarlet's in the condition to do that." Wolf wondered if his body heat could play substitute for a hot water bottle but then decided it might make Scarlet uncomfortable. His body temperature was a lot higher than hers.

"There's absolutely _nothing_ that I can do?" He stared down at his hands, feeling useless. His genes made him stronger and faster than any human or Lunar and yet he couldn't protect Scarlet from the wrath of Mother Nature.

"Well..." Cinder trailed off and Wolf looked up, catching the hesitation in her voice.

"Well what?"

"There is one thing but I don't know if it's...appropriate." Wolf didn't understand how a cure for pain could be inappropriate but before he could open his mouth to ask, Cinder stood up. "I think I should let Thorne talk to you about this."

Wolf followed her as she walked to the cockpit where Carswell lounged. She handed the man the portscreen and he looked from the device to Wolf and then back to the device. "Really?" he asked. Cinder nodded before scampering away like an anxious puppy.

Thorne sighed as he patted the empty chair beside him. "Did you ever have The Talk with your parents?" he asked as Wolf took a seat, trying to fit in comfortably.

"What talk?"

Thorne cast a sidelong glance, willing the man beside him to understand. "_The_ Talk."

"What talk?" he asked again, this time his voice was less patient. Thorne was smaller and Wolf knew it wouldn't take much to take much to pummel the man but he had to keep calm if he wanted to help Scarlet.

Taking a deep breath, Thorne rubbed his temples and closed his eyes as he spoke. "When a girl and a boy fall in love, they kiss. You've kissed Scarlet before, I'm assuming?"

Wolf's ears turned hot as he looked away. "That's none of your business." His voice was noticeably rough.

With a slight shake of his head, Thorne continued. "Anyway, after the kissing stage, they start touching and then they start making babies."

Wolf's eyes shot up to shoot an icy glare. "We're not ready to mate."

"I'm not saying you are," Thorne rolled his eyes, "I'm saying that this article is telling you to pleasure your little Scarlet so that she can feel better. And as long as you keep your Wolfie Jr. under control, no babies will be popping out anytime soon."

Wolf was more confused than ever. What did "pleasuring" mean in Earthen terms? He had tried being pleasant to Scarlet but she was still in pain. And who was Wolfie Jr.? "Could you say that again?"

Thorne gave an exasperated sigh and typed something into the portscreen. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered under his breath before showing Wolf a picture of something he didn't recognize. "You and I, buddy, we have a penis in our pants. However, girls like Cinder and Scarlet have this, a vagina. Now, when boys and girls want to make babies, the penis has to go into the vagina."

"But I said, I don't want to have babies," Wolf snapped, losing more of his patience. He didn't feel like they should be talking about the mating process when Scarlet was writhing in pain on her bed. His hands gripped the arms of the seat as the image flashed in his head again. Scarlet, lying in bed, clutching her stomach.

Thorne, however, didn't seem to care. He talked as if Wolf wasn't about to pounce from his seat. "This vagina is extremely sensitive and you can pleasure Scarlet with it. That pleasure will help with her cramps."

Wolf sat back when he heard that he could lend a hand. "Really?" Finally, this whole lesson seemed to be worthwhile.

Thorne nodded proudly before meeting Wolf's eyes with serious ones of his own. "But make sure she lets you first. Kiss her a lot and then touch her a lot before going for the treasure. Girls are picky about who they take their clothes off for."

Wolf decided against telling Thorne that Scarlet was already nearly naked on her bed. It seemed like a good secret to keep for himself.

"Now, to make sure that you don't accidentally impregnate your alpha female, only use your fingers. You can play around with this little guy here," he pointed at a little button above the slit. "Or you can slowly put your fingers into her and bend them like this, as if you're asking for her to come towards you." He showed Wolf how it was done but Wolf's face was too stoic. Thorne stopped, embarrassed that he was giving lessons to another man. "You sure you wanna do this?" He leaned his chin on his palm.

"Of course," Wolf straightened with pride. "Anything to help her feel better."

"Fine then, I guess I can't stop you two." Thorne waved Wolf to leave but stopped him halfway to the door. "And if Scarlet asks you for more, just...take it slow. You're a big guy and she'll probably be in a different world of pain if you go too fast." He put his head down, as if he was ashamed to give Wolf this advice.

"Thank you, Captain." Wolf bowed and ran down the narrow halls to Scarlet's room, eager to help.


	3. Chapter 3

"You're back," Scarlet said as Wolf entered her room once again. He saw that she had drunk some of the water but she didn't look any better.

The door shut behind him as he crossed the room to sit on her bed. It pained him to hear her voice so weak. "Are you feeling better?"

"No," Scarlet mumbled as she shook her head. "But could I ask you for a favour?" Her eyes landed on everything but him and he forgot the lessons that he had learned from Cinder and Thorne. He just wanted to listen to Scarlet and her requests.

"Anything," he breathed as he longed to hold her hand but decided against it. He didn't want to interrupt her.

"I know this is weird, especially since we haven't even known each other for very long but...would you mind sleeping with me?" She bit down on her bottom lip and her nervous gaze drifted up to meet his eyes.

He thought about the invitation while scratching behind his ears, wondering if he could stay still long enough for her. He knew he wouldn't be able to lay as still as a rock when she was laying in the same bed as him. She wanted to sleep but he wanted to take action.

At his silence, Scarlet looked back down again and gave an embarrassed laugh. "Nevermind. You must have other things to do." She gave him an apologetic glance and then turned over until all he could see was her red curls.

Wolf decided it would be stupid for him to leave. She wanted him around, didn't she? Without waiting for anymore signals, Wolf lifted her blanket and crawled in beside her. He could sense the surprise in her body as he scooted close to her until both their bodies were flush against each other. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he splayed his fingers out on her soft belly, hoping it would do as good of a job as a hot water bottle.

"Thank you," Scarlet whispered with a little jitter in her voice. Her back sank to contour and fit into his chest. He thought he had nothing to lose when he got into this position but then he realized his thoughts were getting murky again.

He nuzzled his face into her hair, savouring her scent and trying to mask out the smell of her blood. It must've been her blood that was making him feel like this but when he got a closer sniff, there was a slight change to Scarlet's own scent, a change that made him want her more. If more was even possible at this point.

A low growl resonated from his chest and he hoped he didn't disturb her. He could feel that energy seeping back and he knew he wouldn't be able to stay still for long. He had to move. If he didn't, it felt like he was going to die. His breath was laboured but he wished he could just stop breathing. How could her overwhelmingly pleasant scent make him go mad like this? Wolf wondered if this was the pain Scarlet had been going through the entire day. Perhaps this "period" that girls go through was contagious to wolves.

"Scarlet," he grunted as he felt a shudder run from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. He was glad she was turned away or else she would be staring straight at his canines.

A soft gasp escaped Scarlet's mouth before she placed a hand on top of Wolf's. He rubbed her smooth skin, hoping he hadn't hurt her in some way. "Wolf?" she asked before turning around to face him. He didn't want to look weak but Scarlet placed her warm hands against his cheek, forcing him to look into her eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"I feel...weird." It was true. Wolf didn't know what was going on with his body. Half of him wanted to let his animal instincts take over but the other half of him told him to stay sane. "I don't know what's going on." All he felt was a desire to touch Scarlet and...and...

He wanted to make Scarlet his mate.

She gave a remark, as if hearing his thoughts. "Oh, Wolf." Scarlet stifled a giggled and it didn't help that in the next moment, she was kissing him from the corner of his mouth all the way to the edge of his jaw. How could she mock him like this?

His hands craved to hold her and make her his but then Thorne's words came back to him. _Take it slow_. Easier said than done.

He decided to unleash a bit of his energy as his fingers dug into her hair and he ran his lips along her throat, dipping his head to lean into the curve of her neck. Scarlet let out a sigh but it was cut short when Wolf claimed her lips. He let out a deep groan as Scarlet's hands rested on his chest and her body pressed flat against his. He could feel every curve of her very feminine body and he cursed his wolf instincts that told him to speed things up. He wanted to savour this moment and every moment around her.

A tongue swiped against his lips as if asking for entrance. He couldn't help but smile when Scarlet's brave tongue darted in, reminding him of the ID chip swap back at the opera house. A dull throb in the back of his head urged him to get Scarlet fulling unclothed but he decided he wanted to take things one step at a time.

His lips trailed down her neck to her collarbone, where he nipped, making her squirm. He came down even lower until he reached the edge of a useless piece of fabric that acted as a barrier between their skin. With the quick stealth of his fingers, he managed to pull it off, revealing warm temptation.

He sucked in a breath, not knowing at all if this was right or wrong. It felt right.

Wolf looked up but only saw that Scarlet was also trying to catch her breath. He licked his lips and gently took the enticing rosy peak into his mouth, giving it a slight suck and swirl with his tongue. His name erupted as a moan from her throat and, because he liked that reaction, Wolf did it again. By the time he let go, the nipple was perked up, begging him for more. He let his finger do the work as his mouth went to the other breast. This time, he also took her flesh into his mouth but added gentle nips with his teeth.

Scarlet's back arched upwards, trying to get even closer to Wolf and his ravaging mouth. She was becoming a wreck under his ministrations and he hadn't even gone very far yet.

Deciding it'd be fun to tease her, Wolf circled the edge of her breast with his lips and fingers. He gauged her reaction and it gave his ego a boost as he saw that she was thoroughly frustrated. "Please," she begged. Though neither of them knew what they wanted, their instincts did.

Wolf's hands traced little circles from her naval down to the hem of her panties, where the scent of blood was the strongest. His lips followed until he had kissed all along the skin that sat uncovered next to her underwear. He seemed to be doing a good job as her hands ran through his hair, showing him appreciation and guiding him along her body.

Finally, he decided he could stand it no more and pulled down the blue of her panties. The smell that greeted him nearly made him lose his mind and he had to blink a bit to take in the sight. He wanted to understand what was happening with her body. He sat back, taking in her luscious form.

But before he could further his investigation, Scarlet brought a hand down to cover her orange curls. "Don't stare," she mumbled as she looked away. "It's embarrassing."

Wolf reached forward and slowly removed her hands. He gave her a pleading look, one he hoped would show that he loved every inch of her body and that she shouldn't be embarrassed. He caressed her thigh, going from her knee up to the spot that held his interest. She seemed to understand and spread her legs open.

A delightful shiver ran through Wolf's body as the intimate smell hit him again. His hands lifted her knees and tortured himself by getting closer. He kissed her inner thighs, letting his teeth graze over some of the sensitive skin. She would gasp, wanting to close her legs. He allowed her at first, relishing in the warmth of her soft skin against his rough cheeks, but as he got closer to his target, he slowly pried her legs open and vulnerable to him.

He pulled away slightly and saw the blood, making his brows furrow together. "Why are you bleeding?" he asked before quickly leaning down to lick her free of blood, much like he did whenever he got a bad injury that he couldn't bandage up right away. The first lick made his mind go crazy, though. As bizarre as it sounds, it made him want to bury himself inside her.

"Ahh!" Scarlet yelped and Wolf jerked away. He had nearly forgotten that Scarlet was still a human and much of what he did would hurt her.

He looked up to find that she was panting. Her mouth hung open as she looked down at him with an exasperated look. "I'm sorry," he whimpered, hoping she wasn't mad at him. He let go of her knees and pulled back, ashamed of himself. The act of leaving her sweetness was like a physical blow, stronger than anything he'd felt before. But something was wrong. He had gone too far and hurt her again.

"No!" Scarlet's hand found its way back in Wolf's shaggy hair and then he was pushed against her sweet honey. "It felt good," she moaned as her hips pushed up against his mouth.

This time, Wolf let his instincts take over. As he nestled against her core, he licked all the blood he could find, even darting his tongue inside to look for more. Scarlet's hips bucked underneath him and he had to hold her still.

"Fingers. Use your fingers, too," Scarlet ordered between her sighs and Wolf remembered what Thorne had taught him earlier.

Wolf backed away for a second to try and remember the picture that he was shown on the portscreen. Scarlet's looked a lot more inviting. He located the button that Thorne had mentioned and pressed his thumb to it, making the muscles of her legs go taut as they threatened to close around him again. He rubbed slowly and in every direction until Scarlet's breaths became uneven.

Then Wolf took the cue to slide his middle finger inside her, grateful that Thorne had told him to cut his nails the night before so they looked less menacing. The flesh that pulsed around his finger made him gulp, and his pants felt tighter than ever. His thumb resumed its work on the nub that provided a thousand levels of pleasure, drawing little circles and swirls until Scarlet's fingers dug into the bed sheets. When he felt she was ready, his second finger joined the first. He curled his fingers like Thorne had taught him to do and then beckoned Scarlet to come.

A trail of gasps shook her body and when she had held her breath long enough, she let it go with a sensual sigh. With every stroke and flick of his fingers, Scarlet felt closer to some imaginary edge that only Wolf could lead her to. She pulled his head closer, letting his lips and tongue relieve his thumb of its work. Her other hand played with her breast, imagining it was Wolf touching her there as well.

"Wolf," she moaned and it made him snarl in pleasure. Scarlet guided him but he was the one to bring her to ecstasy. She was is and he was hers. "More." She didn't know if she wanted more speed or more pressure but her body begged for his.

Letting his wolf side take over, his tongue and fingers worked at an inhuman speed, making Scarlet's moans skyrocket to loud screams. Even if he did want to pull away—which he didn't—she had a good grasp, holding him tightly against her. Her body shuddered underneath him as a series of moans and sighs let themselves out without warning. Her muscles tightened around his fingers and her thighs tried closing in on his head.

He smelled the blood before he tasted it. His fingers pulled out and he licked them clean before going back to clean up her entrance. The blood that had tried to drip down to the bed was lapped up by his tongue.

"Ooh," Scarlet breathed out as she felt Wolf working on her again. Her hands lay at her side, limp from the exertion, and her chest rose and fell with each deep breath.

Wolf climbed up her body, staring down at her with predatory eyes. Her gaze seemed to see nothing but him as if he was the only existence in her world. Wolf leaned down and breathed against her neck, nearly as exhausted as her. "Are you feeling better now?"

Scarlet sucked in a shaky breath and reached up to run her fingers through this hair. Looking at the bunk above her, she remembered this was the position the two of them had taken just yesterday. Except she had been feeling different and she had been fully clothed.

"Much better," she purred against his ear, making his body go rigid. She liked the effect she had on him and nibbled his earlobe to tease him some more. "But what about you?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Me?" Wolf pulled back, trying to decipher what Scarlet was referring to.

Her soft fingers traveled down his chest, sending shivers to every corner of his body, until they landed on his belt. "Don't tell me you didn't expect me to notice this." She barely stroked his hard length before his breath caught in his throat.

"Scarlet, don't," he warned. "I don't know if I can hold myself back."

She would not listen as her fingers already started undoing his belt. "Then don't hold back."

"But I'll hurt you." His voice was soft as a feather but even he couldn't bring himself to push Scarlet's hands away.

"No, you won't," she said, sounding sure of herself.

But Thorne's words echoed in Wolf's head. He could potentially cause her a ton more pain, perhaps more than she knew. He had made a vow never to hurt her anymore; he didn't want to break a promise so soon.

Scarlet's frustrated voice pierced his thoughts. "Help me with this." Wolf looked down and saw that his shirt was being pushed up by her small hands as they tried to simultaneously undo his pants. This brought amusement to his face if it weren't for the fact that Scarlet was actually wanting him to unleash his pent up energy.

But if he didn't do as she bid, he might explode. Her passion and want for more had made him feel the need to claim her for his own. She was his tempestuous and headstrong beauty.

He decided she was right. Wolf sat back and pulled his shirt over his head before tugging down his restraining trousers. He could see that Scarlet's half-lidded gaze was pinned on his shaft and he hardened even more as her tongue ran over her full lips, moistening them and tempting him.

He stayed sitting on his heels as Scarlet sat up, seemingly mesmerized by his body. Her hands reached forward before her eyes looked up innocently at his. "May I?" she asked.

Wolf gave a sharp nod right before Scarlet's fingers lightly touched him. He gritted his teeth, already wondering how long he would last like this. She bent down and placed a kiss on his tip, enjoying the sound of his gasp. She knew it was mean to tease him like this but she had doubts about how much of him could fit into her mouth.

She took a tentative lick, tasting the saltiness in her mouth. Her tongue slowly glided from the bottom all the way to the top, making Wolf's head fall back. It was pure torture. Years of ruthless fighting had not been enough for him to endure this.

"You're gonna kill me," he growled under his breath as he looked down, feeling the tickle of her red mane on the bare skin of his thighs.

A giggle resonated from her throat, sending him dangerously closer to his peak. "Really?" she taunted him. "The big bad Wolf can't take a little teasing?" Scarlet rose and flicked her tongue along his hard abdomen, sending fiery licks that made him tremble with hunger.

He couldn't take it anymore. What did Thorne mean by taking it slow? How slow? How could any man possibly withstand the temptation? Wolf's resolve was weakening but that seemed to be Scarlet's goal as she brushed his nipple with her burning tongue.

Wolf pushed her back against the bed, restraining her arms above her head so he had control. His mouth went straight for her breasts, sucking and stroking in worship with his lips. She squirmed uncontrollably under him, whimpering a few words of nonsense.

"Don't toy with me," he warned as he gave one last flick of the tongue on her smooth skin. He rose higher to meet her blushing face and let go of her hands so that he could caress her cheek.

Instead of obeying like he thought she would, Scarlet reached down and wrapped her strong fingers around his length. He sucked in a breath and gave her an incredulous look. Wolf knew she was bold but never so passionate and straightforward.

"You and I both know how much we want it," Scarlet whispered, locking his gaze. She rose her hips and guided his shaft towards her warmth. A little mewl rose from her lips and Wolf tried to suppress his own noises. "Please, Wolf?"

His thumb stroked her cheek and he watched the freckles that he wanted to kiss. "If I hurt you—" His own voice got cut off as Scarlet pulled his hips down to meet hers, making the tip of his member enter her hot flesh.

Wolf's mouth fell open as he tried to contain himself. Underneath him, Scarlet was biting her bottom lip and taking deep breaths, trying to open up for him. With every little bit that went in, there was less capacity for logical thinking in his brain. All he could understand was that he needed Scarlet and he would do anything for her.

"Wolf, help," she cried out in a straggled breath. He realized that he was barely inside her and yet she was already in pain. Using what little memory he had left, his hand reached down and played with the nub that had entranced her earlier.

The moment he felt her sliding open, Wolf pushed his way in, completely forgetting everything.

Scarlet's scream pierced through the air, making Wolf's gasp inaudible. She felt like she'd been torn in half and only he could mend her together. Her legs wrapped around his waist, trying to keep him inside so that she could fully adjust herself to his size. Her hips ground against his waist, urging him to come out of his reverie.

Wolf's breath was caught in his throat as he pulled out a little. Even the second in which he withdrew felt like an agonizing eternity. Pushing back in had forced a cry out of Scarlet again and he kissed the corner of her mouth, hoping to soothe her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, stilling himself so that she could calm down.

Scarlet's hands gripped on to his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. "No, more. Do it more!" she begged as she stared into his glowing green eyes.

Wolf couldn't disobey an order so he withdrew and thrust himself inside again and again until her entrance was slick and he could quicken his pace. With each plunge came the sweet sound of their juices mixing together and Scarlet's guttural cries hitting the walls. She couldn't say another word as her breathing hastened, exciting Wolf even farther.

"Oh, Wolf! Yes, ahh— Wolf!" she screamed one last time before her muscles clenched around him. Her hands were in his hair, pressing into his scalp to the point where the pain turned into pleasure. Her back arched so that her entire body was squeezed against him, her stiff nipples calling out for more.

With a husky grunt and a shudder that burst from his core, Wolf gave one last push and seeded his mate. He gave a shaky breath, holding Scarlet's quivering form against him as he lowered himself onto the bed.

He didn't want to remove himself. He wanted to stay attached to her like this forever. If only there was a way for him to steal Scarlet away from all her responsibilities, and selfishly keep her for himself.

For once, he didn't trust his strength to get up so he stayed on top of her, cherishing the way her chest rose and fell with each breath and how soft her entire body was against his. "How?" he breathed while Scarlet was still panting heavily.

"What do you mean?" she managed to say while her fingers stroked his back with care.

"How long does this period thing last?"

He felt a slight jump in her chest as she stifled a laugh. "Five days for me."

Wolf was worried for a second. Only five days to ravish her body like this was not nearly enough. "When will be the next time you get a period?"

This time, Scarlet couldn't help but to let out a giggle. "Next month."

Wolf couldn't hide his disappointment as his hands went to play with a loose curl. "Next month," he repeated quietly to himself.

"You can help me everyday," Scarlet suggested as she placed her hands on the sides of his head so that he was forced to stare into her eyes. "I get very...needy on my period."

"Needy?"

She nodded and a rosy blush formed on her cheeks. "That's why I asked you to sleep with me. It helps me with my cramps, too."

Wolf's hands ran down to her side, stroking her gently. "You're feeling better now?"

"So much better," she said as she placed a grateful kiss on his lips. "But I was hoping we could do this on days when I'm not on my period, too." Her eyes fluttered around the room and she was obviously shy about this. "I mean, you probably have a lot of energy stored up that you can't use on the ship so being with me could be a possible form of exercise. We won't do it all the time but I think once a day is fine."

Wolf silenced her anxious rambling by kissing her. He had felt more tired than ever before, as if all the energy had been sucked out of his body. But if he had to do that with Scarlet all over again, he knew he would find the strength somewhere. "Only once a day?" he teased as he began kissing down her neck again.


End file.
